Their Way
by Basil-Ovelby
Summary: Brave Fencer Musashi fic:: Just a short, little one-shot that explores Ed and Ben's relationship. Takes place before the game.


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Their Way

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Ed and Ben did everything together. It was just their way.

They walked together, talked together, and went everywhere together. They ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner together in the Thirstquencher banquet hall. They shared a room in the Thirstquencher barracks. It was just their way. Nothing was ever thought of it.

Topo sometimes grew jealous of them. No, not because she liked either of them. She would never let herself be degraded to that level. No, it was because she was lonely. Usually hungry, almost always tired, but mostly – lonely.

But this isn't really a story about Topo. It's about Ed and Ben. Of course, Topo will be in it, but...

Ed and Ben were eating dinner at a table surrounded by many other guards. Robots were clustered in small groups and traveling around. Some were serving the guards and some were merely taking up space. Well, mostly the latter.

"W-w-why are there so m-m-many gosh darn r-r-robots?"

"Duh, because Colonel Capricciola likes 'em..."

"But they always g-g-get in the w-way."

They definitely weren't the brightest crayons in the box and thus their conversations were never really anymore intriguing than the one just heard. But they enjoyed each others' company and it never came into their minds that there might be something more interesting or important to talk about.

Ed took a sip from his empty glass and looked up as Topo sat down across from them at the table.

"Hello boys, doing nothing as usual, I suppose?"

"Duh... hi Topo." Ben gave a stiff wave.

"W-w-what do you m-mean, doing n-n-nothing? We're d-d-doing very imp-p- portant work!"

"Like what? Filling your stomachs?"

Ed growled.

"I've just been to see Colonel Capricciola, and you'd never guess what happened."

"W-what?"

"Yeah, what?"

Topo smiled importantly and waited a moment to bring a bite of chicken to her mouth. After cleaning her mouth off with her napkin, she continued. "It seems that we're going to be assigned an important mission... something about the five scrolls."

"The f-f-five s-scrolls?"

"Duh... what are those?"

Topo nodded smugly. "They're the key to powering up the legendary sword, Lumina, which is what the Fuhrer needs to continue his plans. Our role will be very important."

Ed took another sip from his empty glass. "W-what exactly will we be d-d- doing?"

Topo's look of superiority faded a little. "I don't know exactly. Capricciola wouldn't tell me any more. He says that the plans are still being revised." She brightened. "But I do know that this will be my shining moment!! When I rise above everyone to complete the Fuhrer's task, I know I'll be promoted – and then I won't have to hang around with you idiots anymore!"

Ben grabbed Ed's glass and brought it to his mouth. "But Topo... uh, aren't we a team?"

"Of course, which is just why we'll have to make sure I get all the credit! Besides, what can you two do anyway?"

Ed stood up in his chair. "W-what can we d-d-do? We'll s-s-show you! We can d-d-do it without any h-h-help from y-you!"

Topo just smiled. "Well, this'll be interesting then. I'd really like to see you try. We'll see who the real leader of Leader's Force should be."

Ed glared at her.

"Duh... Leader's Force doesn't got a leader. All of us are leaders." Ben looked confused.

"No, B-B-Ben. There can only b-b-be one l-leader! Only the b-b-best can be l-leader."

"So does that mean I should be the best?"

"Of c-c-course! We can't let h-her outd-d-do us!"

Topo gathered her things onto her tray and stood up, pushing the chair in behind her. "Well, as much fun as it is listening to your nourishing words of encouragement, I've got things to do." She walked over to where Ed was standing. "And I advise you to get to bed early tonight – Capricciola wants us in top shape when we start our mission."

She laughed and walked off into the crowd, both Ed and Ben watching her go.

Ed turned back around to the table and pounded his fist into the metal. "S- s-she makes me s-s-so mad!! How come s-s-she thinks that she d-d-deserves to be leader?" He slumped in his chair.

Ben reached out his hand to cover Ed's smaller hand. "Duh, don't worry, Ed. She can't beat both of us." He put on his most ruthless face which only caused Ed to laugh.

"T-t-thanks, Ben."

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That night, Ed was looking into the binchotite lamp in his and Ben's room while he slipped on his over-sized night shirt. He was thinking, rare enough as it was. He heard Ben come in the door behind him.

"Hey, B-B-Ben?" Ed turned around.

Ben came in and sat down on the bed. He was already dressed in his night- clothes. "Uh, what is it, Ed?"

Ed walked over to him. "I've b-b-been thinking... you k-k-know? About w-w- what Topo said."

"Yeah, about the mission. She makes me so mad!" Ben pounded his fist on the bed.

"Y-y-yeah, I know." He stopped Ben's fist with his hands. "You s-s-see... I think t-t-that we should b-b-both try to be l-leader!"

"But, but you said there could only be one leader." Ben cocked his head to the side.

"I k-k-know. I m-m-mean that, we have to w-w-work separately... to b-b-be the leader. We h-h-have to show T-T-Topo who's b-boss!" He held his fist in the air.

"Duh, but I can't do it on my own. I just get so excited that I can't think no more."

"W-w-well, I can help you a b-bit... and you s-s-see, we'll still b-b-be working t-together inside."

Ben was confused.

"T-t-this way, there's n-n-no way that Topo c-c-can beat us!"

Ben was still confused. "Duh, well, okay, Ed. We'll work together, and uh, separate."

This was good enough for Ed. "G-g-good! Well, l-let's get to s-s-sleep. We h-h-have to be r-r-ready for tomorrow." He walked over to the binchotite lamp and pressed the power button, watching as it slowly dimmed down and finally turned off.

Ben had already gotten into the bed. Ed walked over and climbed on it, then reaching up to climb onto Ben's stomach, where he then curled into a small ball, grabbing Ben's night shirt in his hands. This was how they always slept.

Ed nestled his head until he got comfortable and then, sighing, closed his eyes in sleep.

Ben, however, couldn't get to sleep. He lay awake, thinking about what Ed had told him, still completely confused. He stared at the dark ceiling, puzzling over it in his mind. Of course, Ben's mind not being all that large, it didn't take long for him to confuse himself even more, making it even harder for him to get to sleep, which only made him think about it more.

He finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Ed? Hey, Ed?"

Ed didn't move.

"Hey, Ed?" Ben poked him in the shoulder.

Ed moved a bit and then, sighing, mumbled out a few words. "What is it, B- B-Ben?"

"Duh, Ed? When we're working all separate, you know, does that mean we can't see each other?"

Ed grumbled. "N-no... it just m-m-means we have to work... i-i-independently..." He yawned.

Ben thought about that for a moment before finding himself at another cross block. "But Ed, uh, how can we work ind... independently if we're together?"

Ed raised the tip of his hand a little off of Ben's stomach. "Oh... you k-k- know... watch our f-for each other and s-s-stuff..."

Ben smiled. This was something he understood. He knew that he had to protect Ed. Ed was so small. Ben knew that large had to protect small. Ben knew that large had to protect the ones he loved.

"Hey, Ed?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"Hm... that's n-n-nice... I l-l-love you too..."

Ben smiled again. He brought his hands up to rest gently on Ed's smaller form. He'd always have to protect him.

He closed his eyes, and now that his question had been answered, he went right to sleep.

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"WHY did you two IDIOTS not wake up?!"

Topo stood in the doorway, hands on her hips, an almost visible vein appearing on her head. The two men in the bed were jerked out of their sleep: Ed now stood on top of the bed and Ben was halfway falling off the bed.

"I went down to see Capricciola and we waited there for 30 minutes for you two to show up. You hear that? 30 minutes!! You know how angry he is now?!"

Ed stuttered even more. "W-w-we're s-s-sorry!! We'll g-g-get ready r-r- right a-a-away!!"

"Yeah! Uh, we'll never do it again!!"

But you see, they will do it again. In fact, they'll do it the very next day, and the day after that, and the day after that. It's just their way.


End file.
